BC governmenthttp://www.desmogblog.com/taxonomy/term/7375/all
enShell Abandons Fracking Plans For BC's Sacred Headwatershttp://www.desmogblog.com/2012/12/18/shell-abandons-plan-frack-bc-s-sacred-headwaters
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/blog_teaser/public/blogimages/shutterstock_92070446.jpg?itok=lsH2ZOiP" width="200" height="133" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Shell Canada announced that the company will immediately abandon plans to frack for natural gas in an area of British Columbia known as the <a href="http://www.sacredheadwaters.com/">Sacred Headwaters </a>on <a href="http://www.tahltan.org/nation/people">Tahltan Nation</a> traditional territory. The province of <span class="caps">BC</span> says it will issue a <a href="http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2009-2013/2012EMNG0073-002054.htm">permanent moratorium on oil and gas tenures</a> in the area.</p>
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A four-year moratorium, scheduled to expire today, began after Shell drilled three test wells in the area, <a href="http://thetyee.ca/News/2007/08/27/CoalbedProtest/">igniting protest and blockades</a> throughout the region and at Royal Dutch Shell headquarters in The Hague. In 2004, Shell was awarded a 400,000 hectare tenure in the Sacred Headwaters, the point of origin of the Skeena, the Nass and the Stikine rivers which are among the province's most important salmon-bearing waterways.<br /><br />
According to the <a href="http://skeenawatershed.com/projects/detail/sacred_headwaters_campaign/">Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition</a>, Shell's plans involved the construction of nearly 300 kilometers of road and over 4000 wells, as well as pipeline infrastructure and compressor stations. </div>
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In a separate agreement, <a href="http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2009-2013/2012EMNG0073-002054.htm"><span class="caps">BC</span> will award Shell $20-million in royalty credits</a>, as compensation for the lost tenure. The funds will be redirected toward a water recycling project at Shell's gas drilling operations elsewhere in the province.</div>
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“Shell has backed away from a project only a handful of times. The powerful, relentless movement led by the courageous Tahltan and supported by nearly 100,000 people from around the world has not only stopped Shell, but persuaded the <span class="caps">BC</span> government to permanently protect the region from any further gas development,” <a href="http://www.forestethics.org/news/historic-protection-bc%E2%80%99s-sacred-headwaters-announced-major-victory-campaign-puts-local">said Karen Tam Wu</a>, <a href="http://www.forestethics.org/news/historic-protection-bc%E2%80%99s-sacred-headwaters-announced-major-victory-campaign-puts-local">ForestEthics Advocacy</a> senior conservation campaigner. </div>
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“It’s an inspiring day when communities in northern <span class="caps">B.C.</span> can stand up to one of the largest oil companies in the world and win. Congratulations to the Tahltan, and to the citizens and government of British Columbia.”</div>
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According to a <span class="caps">BC</span> government <a href="http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2009-2013/2012EMNG0073-002054.htm">news release</a>, the region is considered culturally, spiritually and socially significant to the Tahltan Nations. </div>
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“The government of British Columbia would like to thank the Tahltan Central Council and Shell for their commitment to positive communications during the last few years. Together, we have put agreements in place that respect the interest of all three major parties and have tangible benefits for British Columbians,” <a href="http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2009-2013/2012EMNG0073-002054.htm">said</a> Rich Coleman, <span class="caps">BC</span>'s Minister of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas.</div>
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Annita McPhee, president of the <a href="http://www.tahltan.org/nation">Tahltan Central Council</a>, <a href="http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2009-2013/2012EMNG0073-002054.htm">said</a> the band wanted to acknowledge Shell's decision. “The Klappan is one of the most sacred and important areas for our people…Our people do not want to see it developed, and we look forward to working with <span class="caps">BC</span> on achieving permanent protection of the Klappan.”</div>
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According to the <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/bcs-sacred-headwaters-to-remain-protected-from-drilling/article6504385/">Globe and Mail, </a>the <span class="caps">BC</span> government may extend protections in the area by restricting mining activities as well, something <a href="http://www.sacredheadwaters.com/">Sacred Headwaters campaigners </a>have hoped for in their ongoing fight against Fortune Minerals.</div>
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<span style="font-size:9px;">Image Credit: <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-92070446/stock-photo-skeena-river-in-british-columbia.html?src=lb-15968590">Skeena River in British Columbia | Shutterstock</a></span></div>
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<div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1268">shell</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/royal-dutch-shell">Royal Dutch Shell</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/11435">Sacred Headwaters</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/603">british columbia</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5133">fracking</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2800">natural gas</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/11436">coalbed methane</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/11437">CBM</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/11438">skeena</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/11439">stiking</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/11440">nass</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10255">salmon</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7375">BC government</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7797">Moratorium</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/11441">Tahltan</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/11442">Annita McPhee</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/11443">Klappan</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/11444">Tahtan Central Council</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/9380">ForestEthics</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/11381">ForestEthics Advocacy</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/11445">Skeena Watershed Conservation Council</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/11446">stikine</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/11447">rivers</a></div></div></div>Tue, 18 Dec 2012 23:32:28 +0000Carol Linnitt6760 at http://www.desmogblog.comThe Natural Gas Lobbyist Rush is on in British Columbiahttp://www.desmogblog.com/2012/09/28/natural-gas-lobbyist-rush-british-columbia
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/blog_teaser/public/blogimages/bc%20government%20natural%20gas.jpeg?itok=I-zBOMsG" width="200" height="133" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>According to lobbyist registry data, there are currently 57 lobbyists representing the natural gas industry to elected officials and government agencies in the province of British Columbia. This is a pretty astounding number when you consider that the provincial government only consists of 85 elected representatives.</p>
<p>British Columbia, Canada is where I grew up and it is a place of natural beauty, in fact the main city of Vancouver is commonly cited as one of the most liveable cities in the world. But with all that nature comes a lot of natural resources and there has been a huge rush to extract these resources under the current business-friendly government<a href="http://www.definedemocracy.org/leadership"> (disclosure: I worked for this government for 3 years as a political advisor). </a></p>
<p>So friendly in fact that just yesterday the <span class="caps">BC</span> government announced it would forgo more than $120 million <a href="http://www.biv.com/article/20120921/BIV0108/120929984/bc-government-to-forgo-natural-gas-royalties-to-boost-investment">in natural gas royalties</a> in order to spur new investment in natural gas extraction.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.gov.bc.ca/ener/natural_gas_strategy.html">Northern British Columbia has major gas deposits</a> and with the relatively cheap extraction method of hydraulic fracturing, natural gas has seen a major rush of investment and extraction activity. </p>
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_fracturing"><strong>Hydraulic fracturing (or “fracking”)</strong></a> is a very controversial extraction process that has been the focus of a lot of media attention over the last couple of years in Canada and the United States. Like the <span class="caps">US</span>, there is major investment in lobbying at the provincial government level in Canada to see that controversial issues like fracking do not get in the way of the natural gas boom. Elected officials and government agencies are inundated with coporate lobbyists who want to ensure that the gas industry is seen favorably. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.lobbyistsregistrar.bc.ca/">According to lobbyist registry information,</a> there are currently 57 lobbyists being paid to represent the views of the natural gas industry to elected officials and government agencies in British Columbia:</p>
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<a href="https://eservice.pssg.gov.bc.ca/LRA/reporting/registrar/review.do?method=get&amp;registrationId=6935723"><strong>Mark Reder works for the firm Fleishman-Hillard</strong></a> and is registered as working on behalf of <a href="http://www.kindermorgan.com/">gas pipeline giant Kinder Morgan</a> to raise “awareness of Kinder Morgan's <span class="caps">BC</span> operations and their benefits with key govenment officials.” </li>
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<strong><a href="https://eservice.pssg.gov.bc.ca/LRA/reporting/registrar/review.do?method=get&amp;registrationId=7398874">Jay Hill, former Conservative Party of Canada member of parliament,</a></strong> is registered as working on Liquid Natural Gas (<span class="caps">LNG</span>) issues on behalf of the Alberta-based company <a href="http://www.apachecorp.com/operations/canada/index.aspx">Apache Canada</a>. </li>
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<a href="https://eservice.pssg.gov.bc.ca/LRA/reporting/registrar/review.do?method=get&amp;registrationId=7689755"><strong>Michael Brooks is registered</strong> </a>as working on behalf of <a href="http://www.talisman-energy.com/">Talisman Energy</a> to, “educate officials as to key issues in the natural gas policy area and to Talisman's plans for, and contribution to, the province of British Columbia.” Also under the same registry are lobbyists Eric Kristianson and Ross Curtis.</li>
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<strong><a href="https://eservice.pssg.gov.bc.ca/LRA/reporting/registrar/review.do?method=get&amp;registrationId=8415205">Marcella Munro, Bruce Young and Adam Johnson</a> </strong>at Earnscliffe Strategy are working on behalf of natural gas company <a href="http://www.spectraenergy.com/">Spectra Energy</a> to, “support the dialogue between Spectra and the <span class="caps">BC</span> Official Opposition regarding natural gas policy issues in the province.”</li>
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<a href="https://eservice.pssg.gov.bc.ca/LRA/reporting/registrar/review.do?method=get&amp;registrationId=8965472"><strong>Leah Murray is working</strong></a> on behalf of <a href="https://www.progress-energy.com/">Progress Energy</a> “to build relationships with government.” The <span class="caps">US</span>-based Progress Energy was recently bought out by Duke Energy to form the large electrical utility in the United States. Progress also has natural gas interests in Alberta.</li>
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Former political advisor <a href="http://globalpublicaffairs.ca/our_people/chris-tupper/"><strong>Chris Tupper at Global Public Affairs</strong> </a>is working on behalf of <a href="http://www.cenovus.com/operations/natural-gas.html">Cenovus Energy</a> to “coordinate meetings to discuss the role of Cenovus in <span class="caps">BC</span>'s economy.” Cenonvus Energy has a mixed energy portfolio with major shallow gas operations in Alberta. </li>
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Pennwest Petroleum which has major <a href="http://www.cbr.ca/CompanyProfile.aspx?CompanyID=26509">natural gas operations</a> in Northern <span class="caps">BC</span> lists <span class="caps">CEO</span> Murray Nunns, along with Greg Moffat, James Norris, Bob Shepard, James Walsh and Keith Luft as representing the company to elected officials and government officials in British Columbia.</li>
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<a href="https://eservice.pssg.gov.bc.ca/LRA/reporting/registrar/review.do?method=get&amp;registrationId=181323"><strong>Kevin Reinhart</strong></a> representing <a href="http://www.nexeninc.com/en/Operations/ShaleGas/NortheasternBritishColumbia.aspx">Nexen Inc.</a> which has major gas holding in Northern British Columbia. Other lobbyists registered for Nexen are Ron Bailey, Don Dreisinger, Sandi Morrisseau, Wishart Robson, Sarah Schwann and Shad Watts. </li>
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Peter Kaine working <a href="https://eservice.pssg.gov.bc.ca/LRA/reporting/registrar/review.do?method=get&amp;registrationId=8415210"><strong>on behalf </strong><strong>Northcote Group of Investment Companies</strong> </a>on Liquid Natural Gas exports.</li>
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<a href="https://eservice.pssg.gov.bc.ca/LRA/reporting/registrar/review.do?method=get&amp;registrationId=174397"><strong>Tony Kuehne, Levonne Louie and John Rushford </strong></a>working on behalf of the Fort Worth Texas based Quicksilver Resources.</li>
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<a href="http://www.encana.com/"><strong>Natural Gas giant Encana</strong></a> has 28 in-house lobbyists registered to do work in British Columbia, they are: Allen Darcy, Christopher Bakker, Kevin Beneteau, Jennifer Blaney, Rod Crockford, Elliot Cudmore, Rickie Lee-Doyle, Richard Dunn, Kellen Foreman, Michael Forgo, Roy Fournier, Joanne Hansen, Brent Harrison, Jenifer Hedayat, Sarah Koskie, Brian Lieverse, David Lye, Michael McAllister, Noel Millions, Erin Peachey, Jonathan Remer, James Roberts, Sam Shaw, Kevin Smith, Lindsay Stephens, Scott Stonehouse, David Thorn and Jason Verhaest. </li>
<li>
<a href="https://eservice.pssg.gov.bc.ca/LRA/reporting/registrar/review.do?method=get&amp;registrationId=10972011"><strong>Tamara Little of National Public Relations</strong></a> is registered for lobby work on behalf of natural gas company Progress Energy to “Raise awareness about Progress Energy and build relationships with government.”</li>
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<div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10352">natural gas fracking</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7375">BC government</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10353">gas lobbyists</a></div></div></div>Fri, 28 Sep 2012 18:30:07 +0000Kevin Grandia6550 at http://www.desmogblog.comBC Tap Water Alliance Calls for Resignation of Energy Minister Coleman Over Frackinghttp://www.desmogblog.com/bc-tap-water-alliance-calls-resignation-energy-minister-coleman-over-fracking
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/blog_teaser/public/blogimages/Screen%20shot%202011-11-08%20at%201.26.32%20AM.png?itok=HYDciYaj" width="200" height="145" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>The <a href="http://www.bctwa.org/home.html"><span class="caps">B.C.</span> Tap Water Alliance</a> (<span class="caps">BCTWA</span>) called today for the resignation of British Columbia’s Energy Minister Rich Coleman. The demand comes on the heels of a <a href="http://www.globalnews.ca/Pages/Story.aspx?id=6442511512">Global <span class="caps">TV</span> program 16:9 which on Saturday evening aired Untested Science</a>, an investigation into the recent surge of fracking across <span class="caps">BC</span> and Alberta. During the program Minister Coleman is berated by investigators for <a href="http://bobsimpsonmla.ca/media-room/release/major-water-pipelines-approved-williston-without-p">failing to keep his promise to implement a public consultation process in <span class="caps">BC</span></a>, a province beset by some of the largest fracking operations in the world.</p>
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The <span class="caps">BC</span> public has been largely kept in the dark regarding the unconventional gas operations spreading throughout the Horn River and Montney Basins. But the rapid and experimental development of the resources caused <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/gas-fracking-war-british-columbia-s-wildlands"><span class="caps">BC</span>’s two Independent <span class="caps">MLA</span>s to call for a province-wide, independent review of the process</a>. So far, their request has been met with silence and, as Minister Coleman demonstrated, hollow gestures.</div>
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On June 1, 2011, Minister Coleman guaranteed the British Columbian public that <a href="http://bobsimpsonmla.ca/media-room/release/major-water-pipelines-approved-williston-without-p">“an extensive process of public consultation”</a> would be put into place to allow the public to comment and become a part of the approval process that determines the gas industry’s reign in the province’s northeastern shale gas plays. Despite this promise, the gas industry has been granted numerous water withdrawal permits since then without any consultation of the public.</div>
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As <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/free-water-fracking-b-c-government-gives-20-year-withdrawal-permit-talisman">DeSmogBlog reported at the time</a>, the <a href="http://www.bcogc.ca/"><span class="caps">BC</span> Oil <span class="amp">&amp;</span> Gas Commission</a> had already allotted 78 million cubic meters of water to fracking companies each year, free of charge, before adding an additional 3.65 million cubic meters to that total for <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/talisman-energy-targets-children-friendly-fracosaurus-gas-coloring-book">Talisman Energy</a> in July of this year. The water is pumped from <span class="caps">BC</span>’s largest fresh water body, the Williston Reservoir. The company withdrawal permits are valid for 20 years.</div>
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According to a press release from the <span class="caps">BCTWA</span>, Talisman and another unconventional gas company, <a href="http://www.canbriam.com/">Canbriam Energy</a>, have nearly completed the 60-kilometer twin water pipeline that connects the Williston Reservoir directly to the Farrell Creek gas play, north of Hudson’s Hope where Talisman alone will frack nearly 1,400 wells. </div>
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In <span class="caps">BC</span> a single gas pad may host up to 20 gas wells and each can be fracked up to 20 times. Each individual frack job can require more than 4,000 cubic meters of water, according to the <span class="caps">BCTWA</span>, the equivalent of 4 million liters of water, or about one-and-a-half Olympic sized swimming pools. </div>
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In order to retrieve the gas trapped within shale deposits, companies must mix the fresh water with tens of thousands of gallons of <a href="http://www.endocrinedisruption.com/chemicals.introduction.php">highly toxic chemicals</a> which pose a serious threat to other sources of surface and underground water.</div>
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The <span class="caps">BC</span> government’s abysmal lack of oversight has earned the province an industry-friendly reputation. According to <a href="http://www.albertaoilmagazine.com/2011/07/into-the-wild/">Alberta Oil Magazine</a>, “it’s not just geology that has smiled on northeastern B.C.’s shale plays – government policies have as well.”<br /><br />
As the magazine describes it, the province’s land tenure, leasing and royalty systems all work together for the industry’s good. The generous royalty program in <span class="caps">BC</span>, most notably, by allowing companies to pay their royalties in kind by building roads and infrastructure…to new industry gas and pipeline projects.</div>
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But <span class="caps">BC</span>’s poor record of public consultation, combined with its anemic oversight structure, is starting to anger the masses.</div>
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The <span class="caps">BCTWA</span> press release quotes independent <span class="caps">MLA</span> Bob Simpson, one of the voices calling for a provincial investigation into the process, saying,</div>
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“Despite the Minister’s promise, the Oil <span class="amp">&amp;</span> Gas Commission approved the pipeline without consulting the public and before the water licenses were even approved. The this week a water license was approved without any notification to the public, let alone holding ‘extensive’ consultations and discussions.”</div>
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Instances such as the Williston Reservoir pipeline demonstrate the “complete absence of public policy guiding <span class="caps">BC</span>’s natural gas industry,” says the <span class="caps">BCTWA</span>.</div>
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The press release adds that although Talisman Energy originally agreed to be interviewed by Global <span class="caps">TV</span>, the company later refused to participate. </div>
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Will Koop, Coordinator of the <span class="caps">BCTWA</span>, is demanding reparations. “Mr. Coleman misled the Speak of the House, the Legislative Assembly and the public in its court of law. The Minister’s misgivings and sorry excuse in <a href="http://www.globalnews.ca/Pages/Story.aspx?id=6442511512">16:9’s interview</a> about granting the 20-year contracts on a topic rife with controversy, amidst growing public awareness without public planning, is utterly inexcusable,” said Koop in the press release.</div>
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“Mr. Coleman failed the public. The Premier must not only call for his resignation, but enact our request for a public inquiry and a moratorium on fracking in <span class="caps">BC</span>.”</div>
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<p>The <span class="caps">BCTWA</span> has been at the helm of other <a href="http://www.bctwa.org/FrkBC-PublicInquiry-Apr14-2011.pdf">meaningful calls for accountability on behalf of the <span class="caps">BC</span> government</a>. Let's hope this time their concerns are more meaningfully heeded.</p>
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<div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2958">bc</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5133">fracking</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5371">regulation</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5762">talisman energy</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6180">water</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6344">unconventional gas</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6619">BC Oil and Gas Commission</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6620">BCOGC</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6622">Horn River Basin</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6960">Williston Reservoir</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6962">Water Withdrawal</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7358">BCTWA</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7360">Will Koop</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7375">BC government</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7633">Energy Minister Rich Coleman</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7634">British Columbia Tap Water Alliance</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7635">Bob Simpson</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7636">Montney Basin</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7637">Global TV</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7638">16:9</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7639">Untested Science</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7640">accountability</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7641">public consultation</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7642">oversight</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7643">Farrell Creek</a></div></div></div>Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:37:57 +0000Carol Linnitt5840 at http://www.desmogblog.comDogwood Initiative Exposes BC's Dirty Coal Export Secrethttp://www.desmogblog.com/dogwood-initiative-exposes-bc-s-dirty-coal-export-secret
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/blog_teaser/public/blogimages/Picture%201.png?itok=WnjZ2RFO" width="200" height="126" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>British Columbia plays a special role in the pollution and warming of the atmosphere, according a <a href="http://dogwoodinitiative.org/publications/reports/coalreport/?utm_source=AdaptiveMailer&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=20110923-Media-Coal-Reportrelease&amp;org=354&amp;lvl=1&amp;ite=2506&amp;lea=2035389&amp;ctr=0&amp;par=1">new report</a> from the <a href="http://dogwoodinitiative.org/">Dogwood Initiative</a> on <span class="caps">BC</span>’s rapidly expanding coal industry and its implications for the province’s contributions to climate disruption. </p>
<p>The <span class="caps">BC</span> government plans to reduce emissions by 33 percent from 2007 levels by 2020. Yet <span class="caps">BC</span> is preparing to emit more than its fair share of climate threatening pollution due to the province’s steady increase in coal production and export.<br /><br />
As the Dogwood Initiative report shows, <span class="caps">BC</span> is outsourcing more than just dirty energy: the province’s carbon emissions are nearly doubled when you factor in <span class="caps">BC</span> coal burnt in other countries.</p>
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Using the most recent figures available, Will Horter, executive director of the Dogwood Initiative, calculates that <span class="caps">BC</span> coal burnt outside of the province created 54.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2008 alone. This is the same amount of annual output from 14 coal fired power plants, which is more than the combined total of operating coal plants across Canada.</div>
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“<span class="caps">BC</span> can’t abdicate responsibility for these emissions,” says Horter in a <a href="http://dogwoodinitiative.org/media-centre/media-releases/coal-report-media-release">press release</a>. “Imagine the response if a Colombia cocaine cartel claimed it had no responsibility because most of their addictive products are consumed in other countries.”</div>
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Horter’s research is of no small consequence. From the press release:</div>
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Burning coal has been singled out as the largest cause of global warming. The coal reserves in B.C’s proposed and operating coal mines, if burned, would produce 14.8 billion tonnes of heat-trapping pollution, amounting to 6.35 per cent of the total carbon emissions scientists believe humanity can safely emit globally in the next 90 years.</div>
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For Horter, <span class="caps">BC</span>’s leaders should be made accountable. “Allowing the <span class="caps">BC</span> coal industry to produce almost 100 times our per-capita amount of carbon for the next 90 years is unacceptable,” he says. “The greatest weakness of the <span class="caps">BC</span> government’s climate plan is not what it regulates but what it omits.”</div>
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On top of <span class="caps">BC</span>’s proposed 18 new coal mines, the province also facilitates the export of the dirty fuel from our neighbors to the south.<br /><br />
“Big coal in the <span class="caps">U.S.</span> is running out of domestic markets as regulations tighten up and power plants are shut down,” says Horter. “These companies are looking for export markets overseas, and they are turning to <span class="caps">BC</span> to get their coal off the continent.”</div>
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Horter is right to think that British Columbians will be shocked to discover their province is the single largest exporter of coal in North America. </div>
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Download “<a href="http://dogwoodinitiative.org/publications/reports/coalreport/?utm_source=AdaptiveMailer&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=20110923-Media-Coal-Reportrelease&amp;org=354&amp;lvl=1&amp;ite=2506&amp;lea=2035389&amp;ctr=0&amp;par=1"><span class="caps">BC</span>'s Dirty Secret: Big Coal and the Export of Global Warming Pollution</a>.”</div>
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For background you can also read the Dogwood Initiative's earlier report “<a href="http://dogwoodinitiative.org/publications/reports/coalhandbook">The Citizen's Handbook on Coal Mining in British Columbia</a>.”</div>
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<div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/603">british columbia</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/662">coal</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1291">carbon emissions</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2832">coal industry</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2958">bc</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5560">Dogwood Initiative</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7372">export</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7373">coal mines</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7374">Will Horter</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7375">BC government</a></div></div></div>Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:04:29 +0000Carol Linnitt5764 at http://www.desmogblog.com